New-look Indian Pacific itinerary is worth choo-choosing

The Indian Pacific train’s itinerary between Perth and Sydney via Adelaide has been dramatically changed, extended and improved for 2025.

A full Barossa Valley excursion has been added, and there’s been a complete rethink of the Kalgoorlie stop. An extra night has been added to help improve the off-train experiences that are included in the fare. In 2025, it will be a four-night, five-day trip, with 11 meals included.

It runs all year and is from $2890 per person.

In a big move, the Indian Pacific gets a Gold Premium carriage added.

And it will also have Gold Single sleeper cabins.

in brief GOLD & GOLD PREMIUM

+ On many trips, a Gold Single is from $3290 per person. Gold Single offers a compact sleeper cabin featuring a bed that converts to a seat by day and shared shower/toilet facilities located at the end of the carriage.

+ Gold Twin is from $3690. Gold offers a comfortable sleeper cabin featuring private en suite and upper and lower berths that convert to a three-seater lounge by day.

+ Gold Premium starts at around $4390 per person.

in brief NEW TIMING & INCLUSIONS

The train currently leaves East Perth at 10am on Sunday morning, arriving in Kalgoorlie for an evening excursion. But that can be late.

Under the new itinerary, with the extra night, the Indian Pacific will leave Perth at 3pm on Saturday. After breakfast on Monday, passengers will leave the train at 9am for an off-train experience in Kalgoorlie, which is included in the fare.

In Adelaide, a full-day excursion to the Barossa Valley, with signature dinner, has been added. Again, this is included in the fare.

in brief GOLD PREMIUM

Gold Premium will be a sought-after class, at around $4990 per person on many trips.

A spokesperson for Journey Beyond Rail, which operates the Indian Pacific as well as The Ghan and other great trail journeys, explains: “Gold Premium is a new style of travel, featuring newly designed, contemporary cabins that take inspiration from the Australian outback. Think walnut timber and polished brass, along with Indigenous prints on the upholstery.”

There’s a choice of Gold Premium Twin and Gold Premium Suite, both with premium inclusions, from soft linen to silk eye masks.

And there is access to the Gold Premium Lounge and Gold Premium Dining, with two-course, regionally inspired lunches and four-course dinners. It also includes premium Australian wines, beers, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

All-inclusive off-train excursions are included.

+ There is also a Platinum class, at around $7390 per person — with the top level of service, including in-cabin breakfasts, personalised cabin steward service and access to the exclusive Platinum Club. The cabins have windows with views from both sides of the train.

in brief OFF-TRAIN EXPERIENCES

All excursions are included in the fare.

Kalgoorlie Indian Pacific pulls in to Kalgoorlie early in the morning, and there is a visit to the Super Pit mine.

Cook In the interior of South Australia, this ghost town has old buildings and a population you can count on one hand. Guests get off the train for a nightcap, late-night bonfire and stargazing.

Barossa Valley The train arrives in Two Wells mid-afternoon, and guests are taken in coaches to spend the evening at Seppeltsfield Winery in the Barossa, with paired food and wine. They are then taken back to the Indian Pacific to continue their journey through the night.

Broken Hill After waking in Broken Hill, New South Wales, there is a choice of four experiences, including guided history, art and cultural experiences.

Blue Mountains After disembarking in this World Heritage-listed area, there’s a visit to Scenic World for four mountain experiences — Scenic Skyway, Scenic Cableway, Scenic Railway and Echo Point Lookout.

a brief HISTORY

The history of the Indian Pacific is intrinsically linked to the history of WA.

In the 1890s, as Australia moved towards Federation, it was the promise of a transcontinental railway linking us to the east coast that persuaded Western Australia to align with the other colonies.

Two construction teams worked for more than five years, from 1912 to 1917, to build the 2000km route. They used picks and shovels, carthorses and camels.

One started at Kalgoorlie, the other at Port Augusta and they met on October 17, 1917.

They had completed the longest straight stretch of railway ever built in Australia.

They joined the line in Ooldea, a siding on the Nullarbor Plain in South Australia.

The first eastbound train left Kalgoorlie at 10.15am on October 25, 1917.

A spokesperson for Journey Beyond says: “The ‘tea and sugar train’ carried vital supplies to the isolated worksites and fledgling towns that had sprung up along the new transcontinental line. Workers depended on the weekly train for every necessity, and each time it crossed the Nullarbor Plain it brought something different: livestock, a movie car, a bank car to make financial transactions, a Christmas car with travelling Santa — it even occasionally smuggled in alcohol to the workers.

“From the late 1970s it also provided health care to the isolated populations. The tea and sugar train made its final voyage in 1996, but carriages have been preserved at the National Railway Museum.”

FAST FACTS

Sydney to Perth is 4352km, taking 65 hours.

Average speed is 85km/hr (max speed 115km/hr). Average length of train is 878m (includes two locomotives and 35 carriages).

Off-train experiences in Kalgoorlie, Cook, Barossa Valley, Broken Hill and the Blue Mountains.

The Indian Pacific has been crossing the Nullarbor on the world’s longest stretch of straight railway track for more 50 years.

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Prices, full details and bookings at journeybeyondrail.com.au/packages/perth-to-sydney-2025/